Behind the Bund

I’ve been fortunate to have met some brilliant people during my almost-three-years in Shanghai, and build friendships which I’m certain will far outlast the duration of my work assignment. Most of my friends are, perhaps naturally, in a similar boat to me – expats who are living here for a defined period while completing an international work assignment; however, the two friends I want to introduce here were both born and raised in Shanghai.

I met Miki and Lian through work, and while they now follow wildly different career paths (Lian works in corporate HR and Miki is a tattoo artist and entrepreneur), they share many traits, including a positive attitude, a creative spirit, and a deep passion for the city they grew up in. The latter was even more evident when, over brunch a few weeks ago, they disclosed to me with excitement their new business idea – to design and host city walks for foreigners who would like to explore Shanghai “off the tourist-track”, and get insights from a local perspective. They had completed their first itinerary – Behind the Bund – and wanted a guinea-pig: I accepted immediately!

But first… coffee

We met mid-morning at % Arabica, a chic Japanese coffee shop on Yuanmingyuan Road (apparently opening soon in UK). Here, while we sipped our sweet Spanish coffee, Miki better acquainted me with the story of Shanghai’s international settlements around the Bund area of the Huangpu river delta; how they were established and developed through the defining periods of the Opium wars in the mid-19th Century and through the second world war.

While we drank our coffee the cobbled street outside formed a proxy catwalk for waif-like Chinese girls with flawless skin, red lips and bare legs, surrounded by a posse who perfected their make-up and handed them new clothes to wear while a photographer (invariably dressed head-to-toe in black) snapped their every move. These girls are the stars of TaoBao – essentially clothes horses for online retailers who use a similar influencer-led business model to that seen on Instagram; as you can see below, they start young! Apparently Yunnmingyuan street is prime photo-back-drop real estate, and became so crowded at one point that the local government banned photo-shoots here, but have relaxed this particular rule more recently.

Waitanyuan

Caffeinated, we began our walk at No.1 Waitanyuan – the former HQ of the British Consulate (est. 1849) and now owned by the Peninsula Hotel – a beautiful and iconic European-style building which, painstakingly restored along with those surrounding it, gives a glimpse into what life might have been like in early 20th Century Shanghai.

Waitanyuan

Former British Consulate Building (est. 1849)

Genuinely didn’t realise that grapefruit grew on trees!

Waitanyuan literally means “source of the Bund” and it was this area which British settlers chose to develop as their residential quarters after the conclusion of the First Opium War. As a Yīngguó rén (British person) I was genuinely interested in learning more about this period of history and I fully embraced my role of guinea-pig by asking lots of ‘what’ and ‘why’ questions!

Over the course of the morning Miki and Lian ushered me around some of the most historically significant buildings of the former British concession, some of which I’ve captured in the photos below. While all were undoubtedly stunning, my favourite has to be the China Baptist Publication Building, designed by Hungarian-Slovak architect Lázló Hudec in his characteristic style; Art-Deco with a hint of Gothic. Hudec had a significant influence on the architectural character of the Bund area and also in the former French Concession, where I lived during my first 2 years in Shanghai, and I love the serious yet elegant presence of his work (google the Park Hotel, Shanghai for another great example).

former Shanghai Rowing Club (1905)

former Shanghai Rowing Club (1905)

former Shanghai Rowing Club (1905)

former Union Church (1886)

View of the Pearl TV Tower from the Waitanyuan district

China Baptist Publication Building (1930)

Miki, Lian and I continued our walk down less famous streets, but with no less magnificent buildings. As I mentioned in my last blog, one of my favourite things about Shanghai is that every time I turn my head I’m presented with another scene or moment that I want to capture – motley rows of mopeds and Mobikes spread neatly along the pavement; serpentine loops of black electric cable stretching overhead; wild foliage burgeoning indiscriminately from brickwork and gutters, a fragment of green against the earthy reds and browns.

And it wouldn’t be a walk through Shanghai without coming across a meticulously staged wedding photo shoot… albeit the first one I’ve seen featuring Chanel shopping bags!

It was a great to spend this time learning more about Shanghai from Miki and Lian, who are proud to show off their city – the facts and stories they had collated kept us busy until our stomachs told us to stop for lunch! If you find yourself in Shanghai with a few hours to spare and would like to explore the city with some lovely locals then check them out on Air Bnb Experiences.

And if you don’t plan to visit Shanghai anytime soon, then I recommend you to follow Miki on Instagram (mikijing0225) and experience city life through her eyes – she is a fabulous photographer.